Now two points remain. One is about our Embassies and Missions, which was a point made by some of the members, particularly by Shri. Mavalankar. I can say from my experience of the last six months, because I have travelled quite a bit in the last six months and I have come into contact with younger officers of the Foreign Service, that most of them are very eager, keen, intelligent and patriotic persons. Shri Mavalankar mentioned his experience sometime in the last decade. But things have changed. Certainly, there are some limitations on them. One is manpower availability. Some of our missions are small. But I quite agree that there is scope for improvement in the relations with the public. I will again bring to their notice the feeling in the House that they will have to be a little out-going in their relations with the Indians abroad, Indians on visit, and that they should certainly build up India’s image in the countries in which they serve.
I trust I have been able to give the House some of tile salient features of the present international situation and the manner in which we have tried to make our foreign policy a dynamic and flexible instrument for projecting India’s views and safeguarding her interests. The objectives of Indian foreign policy are to promote the cause of peace and international co-operation, as we believe that this would secure the interests not only of India but also of the entire international community.
In the global context, we welcome the world-wide trend towards detente and reduction of tensions. It is in this atmosphere that humanity can achieve social, economic and political progress. It is also in this context that we can take steps in their direction of general and complete disarmament. At the same time, we advocate strongly the sovereign equality of nations and we maintain that all countries, big or small, rich or poor, should have a voice in the working out of their destinies.
India, accordingly, believes that non-alignment plays a crucial role in the furtherance of these objectives. We continue to attach great importance to the unity and soldiarity of the non-aligned countries in the interests of themselves, of the developing countries and of the international community as a whole. We remain firmly committed and totally opposed to all forms of colonialism, racism and discrimination in the world, where ever and in whatever form they might occur.
